BajaNomad

Smuggling Stories........

Ateo - 9-2-2016 at 11:33 AM

I thought it might be interesting to hear of people's smuggling stories in Baja. =)

Anyone ever smuggle a person over the border? Anyone ever smuggle an illegal drug, guns, or money into Mexico?

Please share.

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

stiladam - 9-2-2016 at 11:46 AM

I do have a friend from Ireland that was incapable of lying (or faking an American accent) and admitted to to CBP when we were returning from Baja that he had overstayed his visitor status. He was shipped home and returned the following week on his British passport hahaha

woody with a view - 9-2-2016 at 11:52 AM

I've lived a VERY sheltered life!:rolleyes: Typically, in the shade!

DanO - 9-2-2016 at 12:18 PM

Not quite smuggling, but close. Many years ago I was asked at the northbound crossing at San Ysidro what I was bringing back. The wife and I had a bottle of Orendain Ollitas tequila and a six pack of Carta Blanca (the old shorty bottles with the opener in the bottom because, as the saying goes, one good thing leads to another).

As it turned out, six 12-ounce bottles was more than a liter (I never was good at math), so we got sent to secondary. The guy in secondary told me that I had to get rid of the three beers that put us over the limit, pointing to a wooden rack that you're supposed to put the open bottles on to drain out.

I asked if he wouldn't mind if I drank them instead. He said, "I don't give a damn what you do with them." So, I hung out in secondary for a bit, knocked back the three beers, waved goodbye and hopped on the freeway. Probably wouldn't turn out the same way these days.

BigBearRider - 9-2-2016 at 12:37 PM

It is probably not a good idea to post smuggling stories on a public forum.

BajaBlanca - 9-2-2016 at 12:41 PM

I like the story about the honest Irishman who came back a week later on another passport....not sure if he would be able to do that nowadays !

Ateo - 9-2-2016 at 01:00 PM

Quote: Originally posted by DanO  
Not quite smuggling, but close. Many years ago I was asked at the northbound crossing at San Ysidro what I was bringing back. The wife and I had a bottle of Orendain Ollitas tequila and a six pack of Carta Blanca (the old shorty bottles with the opener in the bottom because, as the saying goes, one good thing leads to another).

As it turned out, six 12-ounce bottles was more than a liter (I never was good at math), so we got sent to secondary. The guy in secondary told me that I had to get rid of the three beers that put us over the limit, pointing to a wooden rack that you're supposed to put the open bottles on to drain out.

I asked if he wouldn't mind if I drank them instead. He said, "I don't give a damn what you do with them." So, I hung out in secondary for a bit, knocked back the three beers, waved goodbye and hopped on the freeway. Probably wouldn't turn out the same way these days.


That's a good one! Can't you offer too pay the duty? Or that's probably too much paperwork for them to handle.

sancho - 9-2-2016 at 02:12 PM

While going in at SY to bus to La Paz, SD Cops had an xray for
tourists going into Mex, they xrayed my bag with, concerned
looks, asked me to open it, where the offending item, no kidding, was a banana for the bus ride down. Heck. maybe
taking in fruit to Mex may violate regs. Read of a guy, driving
a cabover, stopped at a checkpoint going down, the Mex
Army guy swept his arm under a mattress, somehow missing
a pistol the Gringo had stored there

BajaMama - 9-2-2016 at 02:19 PM

I brave it and bring three boxes of wine into Mexico. So far, so good.

stiladam - 9-2-2016 at 02:32 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider  
It is probably not a good idea to post smuggling stories on a public forum.


Especially when I'm waiting for my Global Entry approval! :O

motoged - 9-2-2016 at 02:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider  
It is probably not a good idea to post smuggling stories on a public forum.


Really !!!!!

But they are all great stories of crafty methodology, technique, and rampant cleverness.....that's what I tell myself and I am sticking to it.

stiladam - 9-2-2016 at 02:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  
I like the story about the honest Irishman who came back a week later on another passport....not sure if he would be able to do that nowadays !


True story, but indeed it was pre-9-11 :biggrin:

woody with a view - 9-2-2016 at 02:53 PM

we used to buy sky rockets in Rosarito. The ones that were like M80s on a 3 foot piece of bamboo. cut the bamboo sticks off the bomb and put the sticks inside our wet wetsuits in back of the truck. the bombs would go in my socks. never did get caught.

AKgringo - 9-2-2016 at 04:13 PM

Well there was the incident when three teenagers heading south on the mainland, decided to bring a couple of shotguns and a rifle with them. The back seat of that 56 Chevy was rock hard with guns and ammo.

But that was a long time ago, and surely wouldn't be of interest now, would it?

User name withheld to protect the guilty.

Ateo - 9-2-2016 at 04:39 PM

A friend brought a seal skull and it's entire skeleton back and got x-ray'd. They didn't say anything.

Someone I know found some fireworks in their car door that had been there for months. That someone was in Carlsbad when they found them and had crossed 2 times back into the USA.

Friend went thru a checkpoint in Abreojos years ago and the military found 100 shotgun shells in the back that the dude had forgotten about. They let him go.

bajabuddha - 9-2-2016 at 04:50 PM

I once sent a suitcase full of clothing and R&R treasures from Sydney sent from RVN to the States.... took it to customs personally, searched, yellow-tape sealed and sent. It arrived after I did several months later (1971) and some 6 months later I opened it, and a full pack of Bong Son Bombers was sitting right on top of everything in plain sight. All I can figure is the customs agent knew me (or of me) and planted a "going home gift" and re-sealed my suitcase.

Not Baja, but my best smuggling story. They were hallowed-ly enjoyed with a fellow former Herd (173rd) pal.

surfhat - 9-2-2016 at 05:00 PM

Over thirty years ago I brought a bag of some fresh abalone back,out of the shell, not knowing it was forbidden. I was sent to secondary and I asked if I could cook up some right there and toss the rest when the agent approached my vehicle. "Sure go ahead".

I pulled out my camp stove and sautéed up as much and more than I could eat in one sitting. When done, I was stuffed, and sadly to me, I still had a bunch that had to be deposited in the trash.

After that, I made myself aware of just what is allowed and what is not. I recall bringing fresh tortillas still wrapped up and warm from Cristinas' close to the border and it was always a show watching the ladies cooking them up over the wood fire on a large steel plate like what is used on highways and roadways to cover on going roadwork.

The large mexican papayas were another permitted item that were so cheap and yummy that I would bring back on daily surf trips. Gotta love the 'melon of health'.

That's my confession and it sounds pretty harmless these days for all that the border has to deal with. Thanks to all here.

Udo - 9-2-2016 at 05:03 PM

You have read, I assume, about how I smuggled my bird across into Baja.

But a better one, or actually two better ones, were when we smuggled two Mexicans back across to the US when they were deported, about 25 years ago.
And about 30 years ago...never mind!:bounce:

Ateo - 9-2-2016 at 05:07 PM

Some nice stories...........another guy I know was on his way to Scorp Bay back in 2009 and the Cadaje checkpoint was open. They searched his glove compartment and he actually had an old film canister full of weed that had been their for months. They didn't even open it.

"adelante"........

MMc - 9-2-2016 at 07:19 PM

When I was 7 or 8 we went to TJ as a family, with my godmother. We did the whole TJ thing with shopping and zebra photos. When we got home my godmother produced 3 packs of Black Cat firecrackers out of her bra, and gives them to me. The first 2 with my parents so we could set them off, the last she gave me on the sly. She was the best. She also gave me my first pocket knife about the same time.

BornFisher - 9-2-2016 at 07:51 PM

Just the usual---
Body, cat, firecrackers, switch blades, booze, horse chit cigs, cheap viagra.

cj5orion - 9-3-2016 at 06:23 AM

bunch of BAD banditos here !

David K - 9-3-2016 at 06:43 AM

Quote: Originally posted by DanO  
Not quite smuggling, but close. Many years ago I was asked at the northbound crossing at San Ysidro what I was bringing back. The wife and I had a bottle of Orendain Ollitas tequila and a six pack of Carta Blanca (the old shorty bottles with the opener in the bottom because, as the saying goes, one good thing leads to another).

As it turned out, six 12-ounce bottles was more than a liter (I never was good at math), so we got sent to secondary. The guy in secondary told me that I had to get rid of the three beers that put us over the limit, pointing to a wooden rack that you're supposed to put the open bottles on to drain out.

I asked if he wouldn't mind if I drank them instead. He said, "OI don't give a damn what you do with them." So, I hung out in secondary for a bit, knocked back the three beers, waved goodbye and hopped on the freeway. Probably wouldn't turn out the same way these days.


I like this one! Thanks DanO

Whale-ista - 9-3-2016 at 07:27 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BornFisher  
Just the usual---
Body, cat, firecrackers, switch blades, booze, horse chit cigs, cheap viagra.


Would love to know what "the usual-- Body" is, vs. an unusual body.

durrelllrobert - 9-3-2016 at 07:43 AM

Lots of TJ bibles for my pervert friends back in the fifties

Ateo - 9-3-2016 at 08:24 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Udo  
You have read, I assume, about how I smuggled my bird across into Baja.

But a better one, or actually two better ones, were when we smuggled two Mexicans back across to the US when they were deported, about 25 years ago.
And about 30 years ago...never mind!:bounce:


THAT'S what I was looking for!

Ateo - 9-3-2016 at 08:26 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BornFisher  
Just the usual---
Body, cat, firecrackers, switch blades, booze, horse chit cigs, cheap viagra.


Sounds like a good time!

Lee - 9-3-2016 at 09:10 AM

Attended a wedding in the 80s in La Jolla then a chartered bus drove the party to a Rosarita Beach restaurant for the celebration. Bride/groom went wild dancing on tables. Around midnight, the bus took everyone back North, at the border, immigration boarded the bus for inspection, and found a case of undeclared beer & tequila. Everyone was drunk, taken off the bus, and ''arrested'' -- the perp confessed and an hour later, and we were back onboard headed North.

durrelllrobert - 9-3-2016 at 09:11 AM

Quote: Originally posted by durrelllrobert  
Lots of TJ bibles for my pervert friends back in the fifties


In case some of you young BNs don't know what a TJ bible was: https://www.google.com.mx/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc...

[Edited on 9-3-2016 by durrelllrobert]

[Edited on 9-3-2016 by durrelllrobert]